Lemon Chicken Romano (Printer-friendly)

Romano-crusted chicken cutlets pan-fried to golden, finished with a zesty lemon-butter sauce and parsley.

# What You’ll Need:

→ Chicken

01 - 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
02 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

→ Breading & Coating

03 - 1 cup all-purpose flour
04 - 2 large eggs
05 - 2 tablespoons water
06 - 1 cup grated Romano cheese
07 - 1 cup Italian-style breadcrumbs

→ Pan-Frying

08 - ¼ cup olive oil
09 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter

→ Lemon Butter Sauce

10 - ¼ cup fresh lemon juice (about 2 lemons)
11 - 1 tablespoon grated lemon zest
12 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
13 - 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley, plus extra for garnish

# How to Make It:

01 - Place chicken breasts between two sheets of plastic wrap and pound to an even ½-inch thickness using a meat mallet. Season both sides generously with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
02 - Arrange three shallow dishes: fill the first with all-purpose flour, the second with beaten eggs whisked together with 2 tablespoons of water, and the third with a combined mixture of grated Romano cheese and breadcrumbs.
03 - Dredge each seasoned chicken breast in flour, shaking off any excess. Dip into the egg wash, allowing the surplus to drip off, then press firmly into the Romano-cheese and breadcrumb mixture, ensuring an even, adherent coating on all sides.
04 - Heat olive oil and 2 tablespoons of butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Working in batches if needed, add the breaded cutlets and cook for 3 to 4 minutes per side until deeply golden and cooked through to an internal temperature of 165°F. Transfer to a warm plate and tent loosely with aluminum foil.
05 - Carefully pour off excess oil from the skillet. Add the fresh lemon juice and lemon zest to deglaze, scraping up any fond from the bottom of the pan. Stir in the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter and simmer gently for 1 to 2 minutes until the sauce lightly thickens and emulsifies.
06 - Return the chicken cutlets to the skillet, spooning the lemon butter sauce generously over each piece. Cook for 1 to 2 minutes to warm through. Garnish with chopped fresh parsley and additional lemon slices, then serve immediately alongside angel hair pasta or a crisp green salad.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The Romano cheese crust gets impossibly crunchy while staying juicy inside, and you will feel like a restaurant chef in your own kitchen.
  • That lemon butter sauce comes together in the same pan, so you get maximum flavor with almost no extra effort.
02 -
  • If the oil is not hot enough before you add the chicken, the crust will slide right off and leave you with a soggy mess instead of that beautiful golden crunch.
  • Letting the breaded cutlets rest for five minutes on a plate before frying helps the coating set and dramatically reduces how much falls off in the pan.
03 -
  • Press the cheese breadcrumb mixture on with the flat of your hand and really commit to it, because a loose coating means a disappointing crust.
  • Deglaze the pan the moment the chicken comes out while the bits are still warm and willing to release their flavor into your sauce.

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